Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Technology, Basic Materials and Utilities sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.57% to hit a new all time high, while the S&P 500 index climbed 0.73%, and the NASDAQ Composite index climbed 1.10%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were E I du Pont de Nemours & Co (NYSE:DD), which rose 2.75% or 2.27 points to trade at 84.84 at the close. Meanwhile, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) added 1.66% or 1.16 points to end at 71.15 and Home Depot Inc (NYSE:HD) was up 1.32% or 1.99 points to 152.59 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE:JPM), which fell 0.34% or 0.32 points to trade at 92.51 at the close. Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE) added 0.07% or 0.04 points to end at 58.22 and Boeing Co (NYSE:BA) was up 0.08% or 0.17 points to 206.44.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were NRG Energy Inc (NYSE:NRG) which rose 29.39% to 21.09, Activision Blizzard Inc (NASDAQ:ATVI) which was up 5.24% to settle at 61.02 and First Solar Inc (NASDAQ:FSLR) which gained 4.97% to close at 41.79.
The worst performers were WW Grainger Inc (NYSE:GWW) which was down 4.37% to 168.81 in late trade, Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) which lost 3.58% to settle at 123.48 and CenturyLink Inc (NYSE:CTL) which was down 3.23% to 22.50 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Cherokee Inc (NASDAQ:CHKE) which rose 24.10% to 5.15, Spi Energy Co Ltd (NASDAQ:SPI) which was up 21.05% to settle at 0.61 and China Bak Battery Inc (NASDAQ:CBAK) which gained 14.81% to close at 1.550.
The worst performers were Delta Technology Holding Ltd (NASDAQ:DELT) which was down 17.80% to 1.3399 in late trade, Alder Bioph (NASDAQ:ALDR) which lost 17.01% to settle at 10.12 and Synthesis Energy Systems Inc (NASDAQ:SYMX) which was down 14.90% to 0.4170 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 2385 to 744 and 112 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1745 rose and 708 declined, while 165 ended unchanged.
Shares in NRG Energy Inc (NYSE:NRG) rose to 52-week highs; rising 29.39% or 4.79 to 21.09. Shares in E I du Pont de Nemours & Co (NYSE:DD) rose to all time highs; rising 2.75% or 2.27 to 84.84. Shares in Boeing Co (NYSE:BA) rose to all time highs; rising 0.08% or 0.17 to 206.44. Shares in Alder Bioph (NASDAQ:ALDR) fell to 3-years lows; losing 17.01% or 2.08 to 10.12. Shares in Synthesis Energy Systems Inc (NASDAQ:SYMX) fell to all time lows; down 14.90% or 0.0730 to 0.4170.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 5.51% to 10.29.
Gold Futures for August delivery was up 0.40% or 4.81 to $1219.51 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in August rose 0.73% or 0.33 to hit $45.37 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract rose 0.21% or 0.10 to trade at $47.62 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 0.44% to 1.1416, while USD/JPY fell 0.67% to 113.18.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.03% at 95.52.